Author: DeLand's street names tell its history

Longtime DeLand resident and retired school librarian Louise Caccamise holds a copy of her book “Memory Lane,” a history of the city’s street names, at the West Volusia Historical Society’s Conrad Center in DeLand recently.

Published: Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 8:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 9:12 p.m.

DELAND — Having traveled DeLand's tree-lined boulevards since the 1940s, an overwhelming curiosity finally began to tug at Louise Caccamise.

"I was inspired I guess just living here," she said about her desire to learn the origin of the street names in DeLand.

Caccamise channeled that inspiration into her newest book: "Memory Lane – A History of the Street Names of DeLand, Florida."

The retired school librarian and current president of the Friends of the DeLand Area Public Library is no stranger to history. She is a longtime member of the West Volusia Historical Society.

Additionally, she'd already written two history books – "Echoes of Yesterday: A History of the DeLand Area Public Library 1912-1995" and "Minutes and Memorials of the Old Settlers of DeLand, Florida: 1882-1926" – so, she had some idea of where to start searching for clues.

For instance, why is DeLand's main east-west thoroughfare called New York Avenue? Who is the Amelia that inspired Amelia Avenue?

"I just started basically with plat maps and subdivision records," she said. "Then I went from there, looking at families and going through census records."

The earliest settlers of the area named the first seven streets in DeLand on Dec. 6, 1876. Those streets were – and still are — Woodland Boulevard, New York Avenue, Indiana Avenue, Amelia Avenue, Plymouth Avenue, Clara Avenue and Rich Avenue.

Throughout downtown, many streets are named after states. They were named for where the settlers came from — Henry DeLand, for instance, hailed from upstate New York.

"Every time that you see a state name, there was at least one settler and often a group from there," Caccamise said.

Rich Avenue is named for John Rich, another one of DeLand's first settlers, while Clara Avenue is named for his wife.

In more recent years, developers have moved toward themed street names, she said. In the Brandywine neighborhood, on the northern end of town, for example, the streets are named after various battles in the Revolutionary War.

And one particular pastor is responsible for stopping DeLand's main drag from becoming just another Main Street.

"Rev. Menzo Smith Leete was the husband of Amelia DeLand," said Caccamise. "He had been to Paris and saw the boulevards there. He didn't want us to just have a Main Street, he wanted us to have a boulevard."

Woodland was chosen as the name because of the many trees in the area at the time.

"I would think the Howry family would be the interesting one," Caccamise explained. "In 1874, they bought 465 acres of land here and gave the land that the United Methodist Church is on."

To this day, the historic church sits on the corner of Howry Avenue and Woodland Boulevard.

DeLand Mayor Bob Apgar said he probably would read the book because what he has heard so far has piqued his interest. Living in the town for so long, he said, he never really thought about where the street names originated.

"It's always been Howry, so I just have never thought any more about the derivation of the name," said Apgar. He said he's been curious about some of the town's other street names, like Sans Souci Avenue or McDonald Avenue, where he grew up.

"I think it's wonderful that there are people who care about the history of our community and have taken the time to share that," he said. "Louise certainly has been active in the Historical Society for as long as I remember and certainly has a passion for the community's history."

<p>DELAND &mdash; Having traveled DeLand's tree-lined boulevards since the 1940s, an overwhelming curiosity finally began to tug at Louise Caccamise. </p><p>"I was inspired I guess just living here," she said about her desire to learn the origin of the street names in DeLand. </p><p>Caccamise channeled that inspiration into her newest book: "Memory Lane – A History of the Street Names of DeLand, Florida." </p><p>The retired school librarian and current president of the Friends of the DeLand Area Public Library is no stranger to history. She is a longtime member of the West Volusia Historical Society. </p><p>Additionally, she'd already written two history books – "Echoes of Yesterday: A History of the DeLand Area Public Library 1912-1995" and "Minutes and Memorials of the Old Settlers of DeLand, Florida: 1882-1926" – so, she had some idea of where to start searching for clues. </p><p>For instance, why is DeLand's main east-west thoroughfare called New York Avenue? Who is the Amelia that inspired Amelia Avenue? </p><p>"I just started basically with plat maps and subdivision records," she said. "Then I went from there, looking at families and going through census records." </p><p>The earliest settlers of the area named the first seven streets in DeLand on Dec. 6, 1876. Those streets were – and still are &mdash; Woodland Boulevard, New York Avenue, Indiana Avenue, Amelia Avenue, Plymouth Avenue, Clara Avenue and Rich Avenue. </p><p>Throughout downtown, many streets are named after states. They were named for where the settlers came from &mdash; Henry DeLand, for instance, hailed from upstate New York. </p><p>"Every time that you see a state name, there was at least one settler and often a group from there," Caccamise said. </p><p>DeLand's sister, Amelia, inspired one of DeLand's most traversed north-south routes. </p><p>Rich Avenue is named for John Rich, another one of DeLand's first settlers, while Clara Avenue is named for his wife. </p><p>In more recent years, developers have moved toward themed street names, she said. In the Brandywine neighborhood, on the northern end of town, for example, the streets are named after various battles in the Revolutionary War. </p><p>And one particular pastor is responsible for stopping DeLand's main drag from becoming just another Main Street. </p><p>"Rev. Menzo Smith Leete was the husband of Amelia DeLand," said Caccamise. "He had been to Paris and saw the boulevards there. He didn't want us to just have a Main Street, he wanted us to have a boulevard." </p><p>Woodland was chosen as the name because of the many trees in the area at the time. </p><p>"I would think the Howry family would be the interesting one," Caccamise explained. "In 1874, they bought 465 acres of land here and gave the land that the United Methodist Church is on." </p><p>To this day, the historic church sits on the corner of Howry Avenue and Woodland Boulevard. </p><p>DeLand Mayor Bob Apgar said he probably would read the book because what he has heard so far has piqued his interest. Living in the town for so long, he said, he never really thought about where the street names originated. </p><p>"It's always been Howry, so I just have never thought any more about the derivation of the name," said Apgar. He said he's been curious about some of the town's other street names, like Sans Souci Avenue or McDonald Avenue, where he grew up. </p><p>"I think it's wonderful that there are people who care about the history of our community and have taken the time to share that," he said. "Louise certainly has been active in the Historical Society for as long as I remember and certainly has a passion for the community's history."</p>